An abandoned dog crouches inside a cage at an animal shelter in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, in this photo taken in Oct. 25, 2013. / Korea Times file

By Woo Ji-won

Summer is the season to chill out, when many people put their worries behind them and take a break.

But there is a darker side to the vacation season -- many people abandon their pets.

Last year, over 89,000 abandoned animals were rescued nationwide, with nearly 20 percent in July and August, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Considering many more animals were not rescued, the figure is expected to be much higher.

"We experience a significant increase in animals at shelters, especially in August when the number is almost quadrupled," said Kim Joo-seok, manager of Dogmaru Dog Shelter, an organization that works across Korea.

An abandoned dog sits inside a cage at an animal shelter in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, in this photo taken in Oct. 25, 2013. / Korea Times file

Ownership of abandoned pets is transferred to local governments if the animals are not claimed within 10 days of notification on the government-run website "Animal Protection Management System" (www.animal.go.kr). If the local government cannot wait for the owners, the pets are euthanized.

Last year, 30 percent of the sheltered pets found new owners while almost 20 percent were euthanized.

Abandoning pets carries a maximum fine of 1 million won ($888) under the Animal Protection Act. Calls have grown for criminal penalties against offending owners.